J.I. Packer has an interesting article in the latest
Christianity Today (sorry....no online link to it yet) in which he
talks about the 'happy surprises' that God has brought into his
life. These past few weeks, marking my first year at Pleasantview
Alliance Church, I've been thinking of these events in my own
life.
There are many times of 'happy surprise' that occurred earlier
in life, but I guess the first truly memorable moment of happy
surprise came in my basement apartment one night as I sat
contemplating how my life had become so monumentally messed up. I
knew it hadn't been that way always. There was a time when my life
wasn't so chaotic and dark. And as I looked further and further
back in my life, I realized that the time I was recalling was the
times when I had been walking with the Lord. I turned back to the
Lord and....well, the only way I can describe it is that it felt as
though the whole room was filled with the presence of God in a way
that I had never experienced before. Of course, I realized that
he'd never stopped being faithful to one of the very first promises
that I had ever memorized about Him - Matthew 28:20b.
Another moment of 'happy surprise' occurred a couple years
later. Having been introduced by the church I was attending to a
whole missionary movement that I had never known existed, I wanted
to be involved in some way. But how could a missionary organization
use me? I had no seminary training, I wasn't in ministry-my only
occupational experience was managing a family business. I
apologetically sent out letters to all sorts of organizations
wondering if there was any possibility that they could use my
management or computer skills. What a happy surprise when they not
only responded with a resounding 'Yes!' but had very specific
opportunities available. That whole missions trip taught me that
God can use anyone because He has already been preparing them for
His work.
What a happy surprise Margaret was! I had been engaged to
another girl who disengaged me (I've never exactly known how to
describe that process-so that seems to be the best description :)
). Through that difficult process I had come to a convoluted
conclusion that not only was I not worthy of marriage but that I
had no desire to become vulnerable to be hurt again. What a happy
surprise when Margaret came along and not only thought me worthy of
marriage but became someone that I could trust 'me' with.
And then there are the boys. One happy surprise after another.
Their births encompass the whole spectrum of the phrase 'happy
surprise'-from Noah and Joshua on the 'happy' side to Nathan and
Andrew on the 'surprise' side.
The most recent 'happy surprise' to occur has been Pleasantview.
Going into ministry was certainly a happy surprise. And seeing God
use me in the lives of others in ways that oftentimes were
completely unknown to me were also a happy surprises. But when I
sensed that God was calling me to rural Western Pennsylvania to
lead a church...let's just say there were many nights of wrestling
with 'I know this is God's will' vs. 'Are you utterly and
completely INSANE!!!!!'
And yet, my time here this past year has been one of those times
of 'happy surprise.' Margaret and I have thoroughly enjoyed the WPA
culture. We were never what you could call Metropolitans anyhow and
the rural environment has suited us well. The boys love it here. We
have a wonderfully spiritually healthy church to minister to-so
much so that I sometimes wonder whether I'm not receiving more
spiritual benefit from them than I am shepherding out. So, although
we miss family and friends back in NJ, God is multiplying our
friends and family here-He continues to 'happily surprise' us each
day.
What are some of the 'happy surprises' of your life?